There can be many different reasons. Sometimes, we become more emotional when we go through difficult or stressful times. Recent bereavement, trauma, and stress can make us feel more emotional. Some people tend to be emotionally sensitive because it's a part of their personality.
When you're emotionally sensitive, you experience emotions more intensely than others. Your feelings of love, joy, happiness, anger, sorrow, and fear are stronger than average. If you aren't able to manage your emotions, you struggle every day to cope.
High sensitivity is thought to have genetic roots, and some specific gene variants have been associated with the trait. But early childhood environments may play a role as well; evidence suggests that early experiences may have an epigenetic effect on the genes associated with sensitivity.
Hypersensitivity, also known as hyperempathy syndrome, HSP, and sensory sensitivity, is widespread in people with ADHD. People with hypersensitivity tend to be easily overwhelmed by both physical and emotional stimuli.
There can be many different reasons. Sometimes, we become more emotional when we go through difficult or stressful times. Recent bereavement, trauma, and stress can make us feel more emotional. Some people tend to be emotionally sensitive because it's a part of their personality.
And it's important to know that being a highly sensitive person isn't considered a mental health disorder — and that there's no official way to diagnose someone as HSP and there's no official highly sensitive person test (though there's this quiz from the doctor who coined the term “highly sensitive person.”)
Extreme sensitivity to criticism
People with avoidant personality disorder are very sensitive to anything critical, disapproving, or mocking because they constantly think about being criticized or rejected by others. They are vigilant for any sign of a negative response to them.
According to Aron, 15 to 20 percent of the population is born with a high level of sensitivity. “When you know that you are highly sensitive, it reframes your life,” says Aron. Knowing that you have this trait will enable you to make better decisions.
Sensitivity, in a neurobiological sense, shows up in a number of mental health conditions. People with ADHD have heightened sensitivity due to their brain structures and chemistry. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD may also change a person's brain, leaving them more sensitive to stimuli.
It is essential to realize that people with ADHD are generally emotionally sensitive and may have strong feelings of shame, preventing them from seeking the medical help they need. Aside from medications, allowing the person to process their emotions before a meltdown is a healthy way to help them cope with rejection.
Highly sensitive people may be more affected by certain situations such as tension, violence, and conflict, which may lead them to avoid things that make them feel uncomfortable. You might be highly touched by beauty or emotionality. Highly sensitive people tend to feel deeply moved by the beauty they see around them.
Highly sensitive people tend to be conscientious and empathetic and may notice subtle changes in their interactions and environment. Some benefits include: Social skills: HSPs tend to notice things others do not. Picking up on body language and other subtle cues may help them develop strong social skills.
Some of this has to do with genetics; some of it's because a person has been emotionally hurt previously and one more added trauma can bring up a flood of symptoms. Previous trauma, especially if it hasn't been dealt with, can accrue over a lifetime. Seemingly small incidents can have a significant impact.
HSPs who live with others need to create a quiet, safe place they can retreat to within their own home. Ear-protecting headphones can give an HSP control over their personal sense of peace in what's all too often a noisy, intrusive world. Giving up caffeine can help HSPs feel more collected and calm.
But, if you find yourself embarrassed about your excessive crying, or if you suddenly start to weep when you don't even feel sad, you could have a problem called pseudobulbar affect. Pseudobulbar affect can be caused by a number of neurological problems, such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, and head trauma.
According to Dr. Elaine Aaron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person, sensitive people tend to cry more easily than others. “Sensitive people can't help but express what they're feeling,” she told the Huffington Post.
Most highly sensitive people display rare strengths in key areas of emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient (EQ) — the ability to recognize and understand emotions in themselves and others. These strengths including self-awareness and social-awareness.
A slower, simpler pace of life
Because they process information deeply, HSPs may move a little slower than non-HSPs. They may need more time to do certain tasks, like getting out of the house in the morning.
A person with BPD has difficulty regulating their emotions, but not everyone who is emotionally immature has BPD. Both an emotionally immature person and a person with BPD may act in impulsive or reckless ways, and both may have dramatic mood swings.
The big difference is that people with BPD tend to be willing to express themselves in any and all environments regardless of who is present. Whereas people with HSP tend to be more withdrawn in front of others and reserve their mood swings for a few safe people.
Quiet BPD is an unofficial term for when you engage with symptoms inwardly, instead of outwardly. Share on Pinterest Sarah Mason/Getty Images. Having quiet borderline personality disorder (BPD) — aka “high-functioning” BPD — means that you often direct thoughts and feelings inward rather than outward.
HSPs' emotions are extra vivid due to a part of the brain called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). The vmPFC is involved in emotion regulation, especially the vividness of emotions. The emotional vividness is not of a social nature (unlike mirror neurons).
In her work with more than 6,500 gifted children, she has found that there is a correlation between giftedness and sensitivity, with highly gifted individuals often exhibiting the traits of a sensitive person.
Crying spells, crying over nothing at all, or crying about small things that normally wouldn't bother you may be signs of depression. Inability to concentrate. If you are depressed, you may be forgetful, have trouble making decisions, or find it hard to concentrate.